‘It just shows that when needed, the best in us comes out’ - family of Olga Kerr, former Cromer Zoo owner, thanks North Walsham good Samaritans

Olga Kerr, the former Cromer Zoo owner, who is recovering after being hit by a car in North Walsham.

The family of a former Cromer zookeeper has paid tribute to good Samaritans who rushed to her aid when she was hit by a car in North Walsham town centre.

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Olga Kerr, who ran the old Cromer Zoo at Howards Hill, suffered a fractured wrist and severe bruising when she was hit by a reversing car while leaving The Showcase Gallery on August 28.

Her son and daughter, Rod Kerr and Francine Plummer, said she was expected to be released some time this week.

They said they had “some concern” at the time it took a paramedic and an ambulance to arrive, but did not want to “politicize” the issue.

They said: “I think what impresses us most about this terrible incident are the good Samaritans who took the time to help our mother until help arrived, mainly Jon Witte and Emma White of Wiggly Amps who kept her still and warm, and a woman we know only as Debbie who found a contact number in our mum’s handbag and alerted us.

“It’s easy sometimes to be slightly cynical about human nature but it just shows that when needed, the best in us comes out.”

As reported, Mrs Kerr lay on the pavement for more than an hour before being taken to hospital. The East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) said it had responded appropriately, based on the information received.

North Norfolk Labour Party has collected more than 3,500 petition signatures asking the trust to rethink its planned overhaul of ambulance cover, which would see North Walsham’s only ambulance replaced with a rapid response vehicle (RRV) and Cromer lose 136 of ambulance time per week to be replaced with 52 RRV hours.

Party officials are set to meet with trust chief executive Hayden Newton on September 27.